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CCTV in Lyminge Recently the Lyminge Association has received a number of suggestions, particularly from local traders, that CCTV cameras should be installed around the parish to help prevent vandalism and theft... The Association responded to these enquiries by arranging for a talk to be given by Shaun Taylor, the Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator for the Shepway Community Safety Partnership at the AGM on 23 September. So it was very disappointing that so few people came to hear the talk and to see a demonstration of CCTV. Nevertheless the talk was very interesting and thought-provoking. Shaun started by asking us whether it was worth it; in the first financial quarter there had been only 40 (reported) crimes of any nature in the whole of our Ward (Dymchurch, a similarly sized ward had 60). The purpose of CCTVs is to detect crime, prevent crime and catch someone in the process of committing crime, the latter needing someone watching permanently. It would be necessary to set up a camera for each location – Folkestone has 40-50 cameras covering the town centre. The quality of the image is frequently too poor to make an identification and there will still be some criminals willing to take the risk even with cameras installed. The cost for one basic unit is between £300 and £400 and a monitored system (relay links) costs in the region of £40,000; it is a prohibitive cost and not a proportionate response. More useful to the community is our local policing, headed up by Trevor Moody. Much of the vandalism has been prevented by working with the local youngsters. Should there be a need in a particular area the police can install a mobile unit for a short while. However, Shaun went on to say that often petty vandalism is caused by youngsters who have nothing to do. He feels that Lyminge is very fortunate indeed to have such excellent facilities behind the village hall which he knows are extremely well used in the summer time – when the evenings are long. He pointed out that now the dark evenings are back then the youngsters will not be able to use these facilities and may take to hanging about on street corners where there is some street lighting, and where trouble could potentially start. He strongly advised that consideration was made to installing lighting for the skate park etc. This lighting could be environmentally friendly and could consist of a small wind generator and solar panel of the variety seen alongside the motorways. It would be possible to install a timer to regulate how long the facilities could be used in the evening. At the conclusion of the talk the proposal for the vote was, “ Does the community wish to have CCTV at this moment?”. It was unanimously declined. The Lyminge Association will now discuss how a lighting project could be taken forward. |